Adjustable head and back rest for beds.



D. B. ALLEN. ADJUSTABLE HEAD AND BACK REST FOR BEDS.

APPLICATION FILED 313.19, 1914.

1,098,209. v 7 Patented May 2631M 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Wat mosey 'coLuMalA PLANOGRAPH CO WASHINGTON, n. e.

D. B. ALLEN.

ADJUSTABLE HEAD AND BACK BEST FOR BEDS.

APPLICATION FILED 133.19. 1914.

1,098,209, Patented May 26, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'ew v 2 COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH COuWASHINGTON, Dic.

NITED STATES PATENT r ac ADJUSTABLE HEAD AND BACK BEST FOR BEDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMay 26,1914.

Application filed February 19, 1914. Serial No. 819,785.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID B. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newport, in the county of Newport and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable Head and Back Rests for Beds; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same. I

This invention relates to improvements in beds and more particularly to those having adjustable head and back rests and designed for use in hospitals, sanatoriums, etc.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and efiicient raising and lowering mechanism for head rests of the above mentioned character which will effectually lock said rests in any of their adjusted positions. 7

A secondary object is to so position the operating crank, which actuates the raising and lowering mechanism, as to render it readily accessible for the purpose for which it is designed and yet cause it to be practically hidden from view and out of the way.

lVith the above objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and combination herein described and claimed and shown 1n the drawlngs.

wherein Figure 1 is a side view of a portion of a bed constructed in accordance with my in vention showing the head rest lowered; Fig. 2 is a similar view with the rest raised; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a transverse section on the line 44: thereof.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a bed of usual all metal construction its head posts P being connected by a cross bar I) while its head and foot posts are connected in the usual manner by the ordinary side rails R. Pivotally connected at p to removable bearing brackets b are substantially L-shaped sections S of an adjustable head and shoulder rest, the inwardly extending arms A of said sections S being adjustably secured together in any appropriate manner. Each section S is provided with a toothed segment 8 which is secured thereto at its center by the same pivot bolt upon which said sections swing while the outer ends of said segments are riveted at r to said sections. It is expedientthat the segments 8 should be concentric tothe pivotal mountings of the sections S since the teeth of said segments mesh with theteeth of spur gears G which are rigidly mounted on a transverse shaft 8 which is revolubly mounted in removable bearing brackets b" which depend from the side rails R of the bed. By reference to the various figures of the drawings, it will. be seen that the shaft 8 is rendered laterally adjustable, the means for allowing said adjustment forming no part of the present invention, and that the spur gears G are secured to the outer ends of said shaft and are incased in suitable housings H whereby the bed clothes are protected against injury. Details of the structure so far described may be found in United States Patent 1,038, 17 2. issued to me on September 10, 1912. It will therefore be understood that said details form no part of the present invention and are therefore described but briefly.

Coming now more particularly to details of the present invention, one of the brackets Z) (preferably on the left hand side of the bed), is provided with downwardly and in wardly extending bearing arms 1 which carry bearings 2 at their lower ends in which bearings is revolubly mounted a worm shaft 3 which rigidly carries a worm 4; which, as shown, is held against longitudinal movement by its contact with the bearings 2. The worm 4g meshes with a worm gear 5 which is rigidly secured to the shaft 8 and preferably lies directly beneath the rail It at the left hand side of the bed. For the purpose of rotating the worm 4 to rotate the shaft 8' and therefore adjust the position of the head rest, I provide a longitudinally extending crank shaft 6 which is universally connected at 7 to the end of the worm shaft 3 which is nearest the head of the bed. The shaft 6 extends from said worm shaft and is revolubly supported in an obliquely disposed bearing 8 on the lower end of an arm 9 which depends rigidly from the cross bar I) at the head of the bed, the free end of said shaft 6 being provided with a suitable crank 10 by means of which it may be rotated. By reference to Fig. 3, it

when the mattress and bed clothes are arranged on the bed but is readily accessible for the purpose hereinbefore set forth. The arm 9, like the brackets Z) and Z) is here shown as removably suspended from the bed, it being held in position by an integral flange 9 which overlies the cross bar 6, a clamping block 9 which contacts with the inner side of said bar and a clamping bolt 9 which is passed through said block, said bar and said arm and receives a nut 9 By removably securing all parts of the device to the bed, and by making the same laterally adjustable, it will be seen that the head and back rest and its various elements will be applicable to beds, of various types and widths.

The operation of the device so far described would no doubt be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it relates, but it may be well to give an explanation of its operation in detail. To this end, the operation is as follows: When it is desired to raise or lower the head and back rest, it is simply necessary to grasp the handle of the crank 10 and rotate it in the proper direction which movement, will, through the action. of the shaft (5, rotate the worm shaft 3 which in turn will drive the worm 4C, the engagement of which with the worm gear 5, will drive the latter, the shaft 8 and the spur gears G, which latter, meshing with the teeth of the segments 8 will raise or lower said segments and also the connected sections S of the head and back rest.

By the provision of the worm and worm gear, it will be readily understood that the device will be locked in any one of its adjusted positions until the crank 10 is retated. It will also be noted that by the provision of two segments 3, two spur gears G and the shaft 8 connecting the two, both sides of the head rest will be raised simultaneously and uniformly.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

The combination with a bed having a transverse bar connecting its head posts and longitudinal side rails connecting its head and foot posts, of a rigid arm removably secured to said transverse bar near one end thereof and depending therefrom, a bearing carried by the lower end of said arm and having its axis disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axes of said rails, a bearing bracket removably secured to and depending from each side rail near the head of the bed and each having a transverse bearing opening, a transverse shaft revolubly mounted in said bearing openings, a pair of hearing arms depending from one of said brackets and underlying one of said side rails, a longitudinal shaft section revolubly mounted in the lower ends of said bearing arms, a worm on said shaft section between said arms, a worm gear on said transverse shaft and in mesh with said worm, an operating shaft revolubly mounted in the bearing on the lower end of said arm, said operating shaft extending obliquely outward, a flexible connection between said operating shaft and said longitudinal shaft section, an operating handle on the free end of said operating shaft and outside the cross bar of said bed, a head and back rest removably pivoted upon the side rails of said bed and operating connections between said transverse shaft and said head and back rest, for raising or lowering the latter when said shaft is rotated.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DAVID B. ALLEN.

lVitnesses 2 Bnssm L. HAMMOND, Max LEVY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

